Cultural specificity of support sources, correlates and contexts: three studies of African-American and caucasian youth

Am J Community Psychol. 1996 Aug;24(4):551-87. doi: 10.1007/BF02506796.

Abstract

Levels and correlates of parental support, peer support, partner support, and/or spiritual support among African American and Caucasian youth were examined in three contexts: adolescent pregnancy (Study 1), first year of college (Study 2), and adolescence and young adulthood (age 15-29; Study 3). Partially consistent with a cultural specificity perspective, in different contexts different support sources were higher in level and/or more strongly related to adjustment for one ethnic group than the other. Among pregnant adolescents, levels of spiritual support were higher for African Americans than Caucasians; additionally, peer support was positively related to well-being only for African Americans whereas partner support was positively related to well-being only for Caucasians. Among college freshmen, family support was more strongly related to institutional and goal commitment for African Americans than Caucasians; conversely, peer support was more strongly related to institutional and goal commitment among Caucasians. Among 15 to 29-year-olds, levels of parental support and spiritual support were higher among African Americans than Caucasians; additionally, spiritual support was positively related to self-esteem for African Americans but not for Caucasians. Implications and limitations of the research are discussed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Black or African American*
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / psychology
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Life Change Events*
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence / psychology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Religion
  • Self Concept
  • Social Adjustment
  • Social Support*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Students / psychology
  • United States
  • White People*